Local time--:--:--Charlotte Amalie ·

North America / Caribbean · Card 037

US Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands are a US territory in the northeastern Caribbean. The capital is Charlotte Amalie.

Find US Virgin Islands

● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital: Charlotte Amalie
Language guide: Languages spoken & official status
Currency: United States dollar (USD)
Population: 103,7922025 · World Bank
Area: 347 km²133.98 square miles
US territory: 1917Purchased from Denmark.

US Virgin Islands in context

North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Charlotte Amalie; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & environment

Landscape

The U.S. Virgin Islands include Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix, along with smaller islands. Saint Thomas and Saint John are notably hilly, while Saint Croix has broader lowland areas as well as hills. Bays and headlands create varied coasts.

Trunk Bay on Saint John represents a sheltered beach and reef environment. Saint Croix’s coastal plains and different exposure provide another island setting. Open channels separate the main islands, making marine conditions important to their connections.

Climate & seasons

The islands are warm throughout the year, with trade winds moderating temperatures. Rainfall varies seasonally and with local terrain.

Island habitats

Dry forest, mangroves, seagrass and reefs occur around the territory. Freshwater supplies are limited, especially during dry periods. Hurricanes and heavy rain can affect steep catchments and low coastal areas in different ways.

Flag

White field with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials "V" and "I"; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in its right talon and three arrows in its left, with a shield of seven red and six white vertical stripes below a blue panel

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · US Virgin Islands · Revised Organic Act

Landscapes & nature

Trunk Bay — Green hills meet a sheltered beach on Saint John. — Trunk Bay

Green hills meet a sheltered beach on Saint John.

Photo: Ben Whitney · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Languages

Public and official use

English is the official language and the main language of public administration.

Community and regional languages

Virgin Islands Creole English is part of everyday local speech. Spanish and French-based Creole languages are also used by communities with connections to Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & status

The islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix were Danish colonies with plantation economies based on enslaved labor. Slavery was abolished in 1848. The United States purchased the islands from Denmark in 1917. They remain an unincorporated US territory with local self-government.

1848
Slavery is abolished under Danish rule
1917
The islands transfer from Denmark to the United States
1954
The Revised Organic Act defines territorial government

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · US Virgin Islands · Revised Organic Act

Economy

Main activities

Tourism, retail, public administration and rum production are important activities. Energy and many other goods are imported. Refining has a significant industrial history, but activity has varied and should not be assumed to represent current production.

Industry and production

Tourism, retail, government services and rum distilling are important activities.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · US Virgin Islands · Revised Organic Act

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Thousands of people

103.82025 · thousands of people

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table

Population: source values and plotted units
Year	People	Thousands of people
1970	63,476	63.476
1980	99,636	99.636
1990	103,963	103.963
2000	108,642	108.642
2010	108,357	108.357
2020	106,290	106.290
2025	103,792	103.792

Real GDP, 2002–2022

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars

3.92022 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table

Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year	Constant 2015 US$	Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
2002	4,688,209,979	4.688
2003	4,669,640,875	4.670
2004	4,823,080,309	4.823
2005	4,991,179,562	4.991
2006	5,166,120,064	5.166
2007	5,373,312,166	5.373
2008	5,438,792,689	5.439
2009	5,080,115,795	5.080
2010	5,110,412,753	5.110
2011	4,691,141,942	4.691
2012	3,996,266,542	3.996
2013	3,745,094,984	3.745
2014	3,678,637,140	3.679
2015	3,663,000,000	3.663
2016	3,721,639,274	3.722
2017	3,694,274,280	3.694
2018	3,763,664,088	3.764
2019	3,873,124,066	3.873
2020	3,810,575,507	3.811
2021	3,950,332,444	3.950
2022	3,898,534,418	3.899

Government

An unincorporated US territory with an elected Governor and a single-chamber Legislature. A Delegate represents the territory in the US House of Representatives with limited voting rights. Federal authority remains with the United States.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · US Virgin Islands · Revised Organic Act

Knowledge check

Three questions about US Virgin Islands.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

From which country did the United States purchase these islands in 1917?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · US Virgin Islands · Revised Organic Act

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.